Mixing machine



F. J. BULLOCK MIXING MACHINE May 15, 1934.

Filed Feb. 12, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l F. J. BULLOCK MIXING MACHINE May 15, 1934.

Filed Feb. 12. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 3nnentor: E'88 J Bullock Gttornegs.

Patented May 15, 1934 TED STATES PATENT OFFICE MIXING MACHINE Application February 12, 1932, Serial No. 592,589

g Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to produce asimple, sturdy, and eflicient machine or appa-' ratus for intimately mixing and uniformly commingling granular, powdered, and/or com- 5 minuted materials, for various purposes and uses.

Primarily, the mixing of different grains and vegetable matters to produce a well balanced feed for livestock, variable at will and in accordance with the stock for which it is intended, as'horses and cattle, hogs, poultry, etc.; is contemplated.

The invention may, however, be applied to mixing a great variety of substances.

Among other objects sought and attained by the invention are full utilization of relatively small spaces, such asare often found in custom mills, barns, and other structures; capability of operation by relatively small prime motors of any suitable type; ease of charging and discharging; convenience, due to charging and disg charging and to sacking or bagging from one and the same position of the attendant or operator; location of all the driving gear below the top or roof of the structure and within a dustproof casing or enclosure, which serves also as '2 a suspension member for a central screw by which the materials to be mixed are elevated and delivered into the mixing chamber at its lower end and at its top.

Other objects, and the mode of and means 3 for attaining them, will appear as the detailed description now to be given with the aid of the accompanying drawings, proceeds. In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, with portions broken away to show the internal construction of the mixer, the filling boot being shown in its projected or receiving position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken in a plane to show details of the driving gear and its casings or enclosures, the discharge or sacking spout and its valve or closure, and the filling boot;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the machine or apparatus, in 5 the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing the filling boot thrown inward to close the opening in the side of the cylindrical lower trunk or extension of the hopper or mixing chamber;

Figure 4 is a reduced sectional view of the 5 upper end'of the mixing chamber, indicating by arrows the manner in which the grains or particles of material are thrown off by the blade or wing at the top of the upper elevating pipe or trunk section and distributed over its entire area;

Figure 5 is a top plan View of the space somewhat below the roof of the structure, with arrows further indicating the flight, deflection, and wide distribution of individual particles, incident to the rectangular form of the upper portion of the hopper or mixing chamber, and to the revo i2 0 lution of the wing through rotation of the central screw by which the wing is carried.

With a View to constructing a supporting structure which shall be at once comparatively cheap, yet very strong and rigid because of the usefos preferably, of standard structural steel forms, as angle iron or steel, bar or strap iron or steel, and sheet metal, I preferably adopt the construction clearly shown in Fig. 1. This comprises a base 1 in the form of a flat plate of metal z'o of suitable thickness, turned upward on three sides to prevent scattering of the material over the floor, and advisably underlaid at the center and the four corners with re-enforcing plates 3 to support the corner posts 2, a central plugtc 24 and the feed boot 4, and to prevent distortion of the main plate by the weight which it carries when the machine ischarged. The four corner posts 2 are of angle iron or steel, and are set equidistant from one another to form a squarej'eo their fiat outer faces being placed against and secured to the inner faces of the upturned sides of themain base or bottom plate 1, and firmly secured thereto by riveting, electric welding, or

in other well-known way. At their upper endss5 the posts 2 are connected by angle iron or steel members 5, similar to the posts 2, bent or mitered to form a square, the four angles of which are seated within the angles of the posts and made fast therein by riveting, welding, or otherwise. The tie members 5 are of a length to seat their meeting ends snugly in the posts 2 when the latter are in proper spaced relation and in vertical position.

The hopper or mixing chamber 6 is of special and peculiar form, and constitutes an important feature of the invention. It is of square form in its upper portion, the square being of dimensions to permit the close seating of its four corners in the angles of the four posts for a considerable distance vertically, and affording long surfaces of contact with, and for attachment to, the posts, by bolts, rivets, spot welding, or like means, thereby greatly adding to the strength of the main supporting frame. From the points at which the fiat faces of the hopper leave the posts 2, it takes a conical form, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, presenting the appearance of an inverted cone, cut away on faces in 90 relation, and having the curved portions so removed replacedby four flat metal plates 6*, extending in vertical planes from post to post. This peculiar form affords much greater mixing space than would be afforded by any cone that could be placed within the square frame, or

' within the space occupied by such frame, and has other advantages later to be noted. The lower end of the conical portion of thehopper is truncated, and joins a pipe or trunlr '7', which extends to the main floor plate of the base 1 and rests thereon.

The structure thus far described is very strong and rigid, but is advisably rendered even more so through the addition of diagonal braces Sof bar i or strap steel or iron, 0110f ,heavywire, extending from near the base to the upper partof the framing and secured at their ends thereto, as seen'. in Fig. 1.

A roof or covering 9 of sheet steel or other suitable material, supported by the tiesquare composed of members 5, and by angle iron or'st eel rafters 10,, carried upon the,tie square andjsecuredthereto, serves to close the ,top of thehopper or ,mixingchamber 6,.and to prevent entrance of .dust and foreign matters.

,,As stated, the pipe or trunk '7 restsupon the base plate. 1, and its axis is coincident with the center of said plate. The lower end of said trunk is partially encompassedbyandsecured to a curved metal band 11,,itself secured to thebase plate. In this way the trunk 7 is securely held in place,

placement of the portion thereof omittedor cut away to produce the feed opening.

The general, shape of theboote .isshown; in

; Fig. 1. It is of a substantially rectangular form .in,horizontal crosssection, and of materially greater measurement from front to rear than transversely, It materially narrows in fore and aft direction, toward its lowerend, and its sides flare laterally outward near its top. The rear, is

open, but providedwith metalstraps or bands l2 ,and 13,.curved to conform. to the rear side of trunk 7,. said straps serving to limit the'forward ,or outward tipping of the boot on its hinge-1e. .Thus limited in its tipping, the boot occupies the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, its forward wall, which is curved to conform somewhat ,closelyto; the curvature of trunk 7, inclin ing inwardly toward the hinge 14 to direct the contents .of-the boot toward the intake opening of said trunk. hinge leis, in linewith the, forward side of-trunk 7, so that when th'eboot 4 is tipped inwardly thereon its curved forward side swings l to avertical position and bears against trunk 7, as

seen inFig'. 3, thereby closing. the .openside of the trunk, and making it, in effect,.a continuous .pipe or cylinder, the straps 12 and 13 at such time falling to the positions shown in. said: Fig. 3.

Asseen inFigs. 1 and 2, the roof 9..and its rafters 10' support a. hollow, metallic shell or casing 15, theltop orcover 16 of which is separable therefrom, but securely fastened theretoby a screwjoint or by bolts. .Said casing has'at one side a horizontal extension 1'7 as seen in Fig. 2, and the lower side of the casing has a circular cup-like seat 18 provided with a central vertical opening. The seat 18 is of a diameter to receive within it two concentric rings 19 and 20, the opposed vertical faces of which are channeled to form racewaysfor balls or spherical rollers 21. .Theouter ring 19 is firmly secured in seat 18 and thus made stationary, and the inner ring 20 is made fast to a solid cylindrical extension member 22, shouldered to afford a seat for it, and securely fastened in and projecting above the upper end of a tubular shaft 23, the cylindrical extension ...n:rember 22 passing through the central opening 7 in seat 18. of the gear casing 15.

'Sh aft 23 extends from near the top of casing 15 to the foot of trunk 7, where it encompasses the cylindrical centering plug 24 heretofore mentioned, which plug is made fast to base plate 1 by a bolt 25. In this way the shaft is accurately centered and maintained in axial aline- .ment with-trunk 7, and with. an upper trunkor enclosing sleeve-26, suspended from metal bars -26 extending fromsaid sleeve 26 to the outer .wallsof the mixing chamber and made fast to 1 both. Firmly secured to the solid extension of shaft 23. is a, substantial bevel. gear wheel 23 shown in Fig.2 as, held in place thereon bya .nut 27and a jam-nut 28. A step bearingmay be used in lieu of plug 24.

'5 twill ,be seen upon reference, to Fig. 2 that shaft 23 is supported by the balls 21,.of which two tiersare shown. Obviously, other known forms, of roller bearingsmay be, employed instead of balls, as for instance, conical rolls, the 1 tracks .or racewaysbcing, suitably fashioned to .Carry them. ,By theuse of roller bearingsfriction is reduced to minimum and little oil, hard grease, blacklead, ,or otherlubricant will be needed. This is important as reducing the power, 3;

requiredgtorotate shaft 23 when in operation,

,and particularly because of avoiding escape of ,housed. in .a bracket or casting Blat the outside of the mixing chamber, at a point where it can .be made fast to tie-square 5 and rafters 10. The

innerend of said shaft is carried on roller. bearings-32 of any suitable'type, housed in the lateral extension 17 of gear casing 15. Shaft 29 carries at its inner extremity a bevel pinion 33, which meshes with andimparts rotation to gear wheel Encircling, winding about, and firmly secured at its inner edge to tubular shaft-23, is a helical stripfiof sheet metal, constituting a screw or spiralv elevator, similar to those commonly employed in varying positions in grist mills and elsewhere, for conveying and elevating various materials. Its function here is to elevate materials to be mixed, from the feed boot 4 to the mixing chamber 6. To prevent the material from sliding orbeing thrown off the elevator or screw .34 by centrifugal force incident to rapid rotation, that portion of the screw below the conical portion of the mixing chamber is formed or furnished with an upstanding peripheral flange 35, asseen in Fig. 1. That portion of the screw or elevator within the. mixing chamber 6 is shown without such flange because it is deemed unnecessary, and in fact undesirable, since such flange would tend to increase the friction of the screw when working in the mass being mixedi;

Between the top of lower trunk 7 and the lower end of upper trunk or enclosing sleeve 26 the screw or elevator 34 rotates directly in the mass of material in the mixing chamber, and it will do so more freely without the edge flange, and will permit the materials elevated to move outward or laterally in said mixing chamber.

At its upper end the screw or elevator 34 terminates in, or is furnished with, an upwardly and outwardly extending wing or blade 35*, preferably curved slightly in cross section, better to prevent the particles delivered to it by the elevator from passing laterally across the wing, and to compel such material to traverse the wing in the direction of its length, and to acquire by reason of such longer travel and increasing distance from the axis of shaft 23, a greater velocity before leaving the wing.

As the mixing chamber will usually be empty when starting to prepare a particular batch or charge, and as all matters to be mixed enter chamber 6 through the opening in the side of the lower pipe or trunk section 7, the material will begin to pass off the elevator or screw where the latter enters the lower end of the cone. From that time until the charge builds up to the lower end of the upper trunk 26, the material is thrown outward by centrifugal force. When the charge builds up to and closes the lower end of the trunk 26, the screw will elevate material through said trunk until its top is reached, when the wing or blade 35 at the top of the screw will encounter the overflowing particles and, through centrifugal force, hurl them upward and outward to the roof and the vertical walls of the mixing chamber, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Owing to the square form of the upper part of the chamber, the particles so thrown outward will strike and slide over the vertical walls at constantly changing angles, and will rebound from them at varying angles instead of on unvarying lines as in the case of a circular chamber. A surprising difference in result has been attained by this novel form of chamber, while the conical form below the square part gives the requisite flow and narrowing column.

Near the lower end of the conical portion of the mixing chamber an opening 36 is out for discharge of the mixed materials, and a discharge spout 3'7 is applied to said opening and furnished with a gate or valve 38 by which to open and close the outlet. A hook or lug 39, one or more, may be formed upon or attached to the spout (Fig. 2), on which to hang one side of the bag mouth while the other is held by the attendant during the filling of the bag indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The spout 3'7 is located directly over the feed boot, so that when the latter is swung to position to close the opening in trunk '7, the attendant will still be in position for convenient manipulation of the valve or gate 38, and to place and hold the bag for filling. This relative location of boot and spout is further advantageous in that if by accident or oversight the gate or valve 38 be forced or left open while the boot is in charging position, any material escaping through spout 3'7 will fall into the boot instead of on the floor, and hence will be saved instead of wasted.

The dimensions of the mixer may be varied at will, though where a moderate size is adequate, it is foLmd advantageous to build it of a height that will permit ready storage in box cars of standard height, and that will enable the maximum number to stand upon the floor of the car. Close setting of the mixers in the spaces afforded by transportation vehicles of standard dimensions makes for economy, and tends to protect the structures against injurious movement during transportation.

While for obvious reasons metal is preferred for the structure, wood, fiber boards, and other materials may be employed to Whatever extent is deemed expedient.

To prevent entrance of fine particles, dust, etc., into the gear casings, or escape of lubricant therefrom, all openings through which shafts enter and leave the casings are carefully packed with felt or other suitable material, secured in place in a manner to ensure its retention for long periods, or until worn to a condition requiring renewal.

It will be observed on reference to Fig. 2 that the driving pulley 40 carried by shaft 29 is of a diameter to keep it slightly below the highest point of the structure, here shown as the top line of the roof beams or rafters 10.

As the upper portion of the mixing chamber is necessarily left open to permit free and proper movement and distribution of the particles thrown off at the top of upper trunk or pipe 26, it will be seen that location of all the gearing and of the casings therefor beneath the roof does not materially interfere with such distribution, while the head room gained is of decided practical value.

It is sometimes desirable to introduce steam, air, gases, or liquids to produce diiferent useful effects in the final product, and means to this end may be added if desired; but as such means are common and well-known, it is deemed unnecessary to describe or show them herein.

While I have described what I deem the best embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that fiat or plane faces may be produced by adopting other polygonal forms than the square for the upper part of the mixing chamber, as pentagonal, hexagonal, etc., and in such case additional posts would preferably be employed, and the base changed accordingly.

I claim 1. In a mixing machine of the character described and shown, the combination of a supporting frame; a mixing chamber carried thereby, comprising a conoidal lower section and a feed trunk below said section having an intake opening in one side; a boot encompassing said opening; and a discharge spout opening out of the conoidal section of the mixing chamber near its lower end and directly over the boot, said boot being movable toward and from the opening in the trunk; whereby the boot serves alternately as a feeding chamber to hold and direct materials to the trunk and to catch any waste falling from the spout, and as a closure for the opening in the trunk and when in the latter adjustment leaves a clear space beneath the discharge space for the attendant to perform both the feeding of the machine and bagging of finished materials delivered from the spout, without change of position.

2 A mixing machine comprising, in combination, a mixing chamber having a polygonal upper section merging into a lower inverted conoidal section; a trunk consisting of an upper portion within the polygonal section of the mixing cham her and a lower portion forming an extension of the conoidal section thereof, the two trunk members being axially alined, and the lower one having an inlet opening at one side; a helical elevator arranged within the trimk and concentric therewith an outwardly extending wing carried at the top of said elevator; and means for imparting rotary motion to the elevator, whereby materials to be mixed are received by the lower trunk section, elevated into the lower end of the conoidal section of the mixing chamber and permitted to flow laterally to the walls thereof until such material rises to the lower end of the upper trunk section, whereupon it is raised within and to the top of said trunk section and is encountered by the revolving wing or blade by which it is delivered to the roof and upright Wall planes of the mixing chamber and caused to fall to the body of material within said chamber and thus to circulate within the chamber in a closed circuit.

3. In a mixing machine, the combination of an enclosing upright housing converging toward its lower end; a substantially vertical screw conveyor mounted substantially at the center of said housing and arranged to elevate material from the lower portion of said housing; a sleeve enclosing the upper'portion of said conveyor, arranged to confine the rising material and form an annular dam over which the elevated material overflows; a rotating arm in the path of such overflowing material adapted to project same rapidly in tangential directions; and deflecting means for material so projected, comprising a plurality of approximately vertical surfaces set at angles to each other.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, in which the approximately vertical deflecting surfaces serve also as the upper portion of the walls of said enclosing housing.

5. The combination defined in claim 3, in which the approximately vertical deflecting surfaces set at angles to each other comprise the four vertical walls of a rectangular housing, the converging portion of the housing taking the form of an inverted cone.

FRED J. BULLOCK. 

